A Day to Realize
by NerdoOfTheFiction
Summary: When helping Don to find a killer, the same one comes after Charlie. Don has to reach his brother before it's too late. I hope this isn't too sappy, I'm not great at summaries. Let me know if the ratings wrong. Just a brotherly fic.


"My math is not wrong," Charlie's jaw was set as he defended his work.

"Well, I'm sorry, Charlie, but I think it was. None of the houses you guessed at were the killer's," Don turned away from his younger brother and busied himself with going through some files.

Charlie took a moment to think, and then said, "There must be something wrong with your data."

"No, Charlie, there's not," Don looked up at his brother, agitation showing on his face.

Charlie looked confused but still insisted that his math was not wrong. Don struggled to keep his voice at a reasonable tone. "Charlie, I'm not going to say you were wrong. But it just didn't work for us- none of the houses you marked were the killer's. Do you understand that?"

Charlie shook his head and gritted his teeth, "That's not possible. You need to clear them again."

"My agents have worked over 24 hours with no sleep, Charlie," Don's voice was bordering a yell now. "And don't tell me how to do my job!"

Swallowing hard, Charlie stared at his brother for another second before walking swiftly to the elevators. Don stared after him, still fuming. David hesitantly made his way to Don.

"Bad timing?" He asked softly as he stood by Don's cubicle watching Charlie leave.

Don sighed heavily, "No, what have you got?"

"Well there was another attack," David said in his business tone, "Only; it was at one of the houses Charlie pinned."

"What?" Don looked at the papers David handed him in puzzlement, "Are you telling me that Charlie didn't find the killer's house, but the next victims'?"

"Looks like it," David said simply.

Don rubbed a hand on his face and sighed. Saying nothing, he shook his head. "Alright," He said finally, "Let's get a team together and hit the scene. I want surveillance set up at each of the other six houses Charlie pinned. Let's move!"

Don looked unhappily at the 23-year-old girl lying curled up in the corner of her bathroom. Her pink blouse was stained with blood and her silver trousers were torn and red. Don walked up to her with his gloves on and knelt down for a closer look. She had her back against the wall and the bath tub with her knees pulled up to her chest. She had a pretty face, Don noticed a smudge of light pink lip stick on her cheek; it was a shame she died so young.

"She was reapplying make up when our killer appeared," David started, relating to Don what he learned. "Name's Louise Fillenburg. Friends say she had no psycho ex-boyfriends, brand new job so no angry co-workers, just moved in a year ago. She has no criminal record or any record at all."

"She attended CalSci," Megan added, a little uncomfortably. "Maybe Charlie could tell us something about her."

Don looked at Megan and then back at David. "So, he smashed the back of her head on the mirror," Don guessed, looking at the bloodied and broken mirror over the sink, "And threw her in the corner. Any finger prints?"

"No, the guy was wearing gloves," David said, "But we're scanning for any hairs, foot-prints, anything really."

Don looked around and walked out of the bath room. Colby came up to him, "We've got something."

David and Megan joined Don and Colby in the living room. Colby held up a piece of broken mirror between his gloved fingers, "I don't think she would have been able to walk all the way to the stairs, do you?"

Charlie was at CalSci, re-working the math for Don, when he heard news of the former student's death. Amita watched him as he looked at the files for the killer again. "Wait a minute…"

Amita couldn't help but worry about Charlie; he took too much of a burden on himself. Charlie stopped flipping through the file. "Look," He walked over to Amita, "Look; every death so far was a former student in LA. UCLA, CSU in LA, LA College, CalSci—the killer's targeting these students."

"It's like a slow motion effect of a mass shooting," She mused, "Like an angry professor or an unlucky student."

Charlie looked at her with wonder, "That could be exactly right," He gave her a small smile, "Now look here; each victim was between 23 and 27 years of age. They could have all just graduated."

"But these couldn't be the killer's classmates; even just four years is a long shot. Well, except in your case, Charlie." She flashed a humorous smile.

"You're right," He said without looking up from the paper. "But they were all students."

"Maybe it was a professor who targeted students with the most promising abilities?" Amita guessed, and when Charlie looked at her for further explanation, "I mean, each person killed majored in business technology. From what I know of Louise, she was at the top of her class."

Charlie marveled at Amita's thought process, "You're a genius." He smiled at her, "I have to call Don."

"Eppes."

"Don, it's me," Charlie walked toward his dark blue prius, "I figured some things out."

"Alright, are you coming over now?" Don't voice was tired Charlie could tell he was hopeful with what his brother had to offer.

"I'm on my way."

"Great, see you soon," Don hung up as Charlie got into his car. He didn't think about it, but Don and Charlie possessed the ability to make things okay between them over time. As the brothers grew closer, the time was reduced. After the fight yesterday, things were okay again.

Charlie had just made it to the road when he heard a horn and looked in the rearview mirror. A dark green Taurus was flashing him. Charlie's brows furrowed and he remembered the assumed description of the killer. He knew the killer drove a dark green Taurus, buts all anyone knew. The odds of the driver behind Charlie being the killer were very slim.

Charlie thought maybe his car was leaking gas or the driver was warning him about something. He thought about pulling over, but with the slim chance this was the killer he didn't take the chance. He noted the man's license plate number and drove down the nearest side road to see if he'd follow.

When the Taurus continued forward, Charlie pulled over. He walked around the car, but found nothing awry. Charlie nervously looked up when he heard the green car coming towards him. The young mathematician was frozen as the car kept a steady speed and passed him without looking at him. Charlie stood and walked back around his car and slipped in the driver's seat.

He tugged his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Don. He was greeted by the familiar, "Eppes."

"Don, there's a green Taurus following me," Charlie's voice was confused and suspicious.

"What?" Don didn't let his unease show, "You're sure it's following you?"  
Charlie nodded and realized Don couldn't see it. "Yeah, definitely."

"Alright, Buddy, well come straight here, okay? Don't pull over for anything. I'll meet you at your car."

"Okay, Don."

"Call me if anything happens."

"Yeah," Charlie hung up and pulled out.

"What's up?" David approached Don.

"You know how the killer drives a green Taurus?" Don rubbed his forehead.

"Yeah," David replied, curious now.

"Well, ones following Charlie," Don didn't try too hard to hide his concern from David.

David stood straight up and walked swiftly towards his own desk. Don watched lazily as David rummaged through the draw and pulled out his pair of car keys. When he looked up to see Don's curious gaze, David looked confused, "Aren't we going to get him?"

Don shook his head, "We don't know for sure if it's him; we have no proof."

Colby, overhearing their conversation, said, "But what if it _is_ him? You want Charlie to find out the hard way?"

Don loathed the thought of his younger brother in danger, and hated the thought of that danger to be because of him. Proof or not, Don realized he had to go check this guy out. "You're right, Colby."

Charlie checked his rearview mirror often and nervously, only to see the same car every time. He was lost now; Don had told him to come directly to the FBI but Charlie wanted to try and shake the guy tailing him. The genius now knew he was wrong to do that.

But Charlie didn't want to play cat and mouse; he didn't want to take the chance of discovering he was the prey for the cat, either. Resisting the urge to pull over or call Don, Charlie made a U-turn at the next light. He snuck a glance over at the other driver; the man was holding a revolver against the steering wheel. Charlie's eyes widened as he fumbled with his phone.

"Ep-,"

"Don!" Charlie cut his brother off in his panic, "He's got a revolver."

"What?" Don sounded surprised and concerned, "How did you see it?"

"I pulled a U-turn," Charlie's eyes fell to the mirror again; "He's still following me."

"Alright, Buddy, stay calm. We're on our way," and then Don added, "Are there any other cars on the road?"

"A few."

"Damn, okay," Don had hoped there would be many so the killer would safely not try to pull anything with the amount of witnesses.

Charlie was watching the last car go by uneasily. He almost forgot he was on the phone when his eyes found the mirror again; the driver was moving, rolling down his window. Charlie heard Don call his name a few times as the man stuck his revolver out of the window, pointing it at Charlie's car. It took Charlie a moment to find his voice, "Don, I think-."

David and Don both heard the gunshot through the phone; they both froze and David almost swerved off the road. Don shook himself and yelled, "Charlie?"

"I'm alright," Charlie's reply came frantically, "Don, what do I do?"

"Just keep driving, Buddy," Don ordered, "We're almost to you, I promise!"

Another gunshot, another panic-stricken moment as Don waited for Charlie's voice. "That was my tire!" Charlie exclaimed as he fought for control of his car. He couldn't risk putting the car in flames, so he pulled over quickly. "I had to stop. Don, he's pulling over!"

"David, drive faster!" Don was squeezing the phone in anxiety. "Don't get out, Charlie we're right there. Do you see us?"

Charlie looked ahead and saw a black SUV speeding down the road, "Yes."

The killer didn't step out of the car; he fired three more shots which missed Charlie by inches. Two men stepped out from the back seat of the car and each held rifles. Charlie was horrified and couldn't find the voice to confirm his well being to Don. Instead of aiming at the prius, the men pointed their rifles at the black car screeching to a halt alongside the dark blue car.

Don's door was open in an instant, "Charlie! Don't move. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Charlie called back, his voice shaking.

David and Don open-fired on the shooters and in an instant, they were laying lifeless on the ground. Charlie was clutching his arm; he had been grazed by a bullet, but he didn't tell Don because he didn't want his brother to lose focus. The killer was shooting at the agents now, forcing them to duck behind the doors of the SUV. He started the car and began to pull out when David fired a lucky shot into the shoulder of the man and drew in closer as Don went to Charlie. David dragged the man out of the car and threw him face-down on the ground; he quickly cuffed his hands.

"Charlie," Don opened the door of the prius and kneeled to be at the level of his brother, "Are you alright?"

Charlie looked at Don; he had never seen his elder brother so concerned. Not even the suicide of Nikki Davis, his ex-girlfriend, brought out this kind of expression from Don. But rather than feel proud with how much Don cared about him, Charlie was scared. He realized just how much he could affect Don's missions and life just by getting in danger. Charlie looked at his brother for a moment before he responded, "I'm fine, Don, I'm fine."

It didn't take Don long to notice Charlie holding his arm, "Charlie what happened? Let me see!"

Charlie didn't resist as Don pulled him half way out of the car. Don held his brother's bloody arm out and analyzed it, "Charlie, why didn't you show me?"

Charlie winced at the hurt in Don's eyes as he asked the question. He averted his gaze for a second as he answered, "I didn't want to distract you."

"An ambulance is on its way to fix you up, Charlie," David interrupted.

Charlie nodded his thanks and David walked away, giving the brothers some space. Don was still scrutinizing Charlie, "Well, at least you called me for help instead of doing this on your own."

"I may be stubborn, Don, but I'm not stupid," Charlie said seriously, grimacing with the pain.

Nevertheless, Don smiled. "No, you're not."

Don stood up and instructed Charlie to keep sitting. Minutes later, the ambulance was there and Charlie was patched up. Don watched every move his brother made with relief; he knew this day could have gone a lot worse. As he leaned against his SUV, he didn't even realize when David approached.

"You're finally sitting still," David commented with a knowing smile. "I'm glad Charlie's okay; I've never seen you so scared."

Don looked at his fellow agent, "Yeah, you know when we were growing up, he was always my responsibility."

"I can imagine," David laughed, "I bet that stubbornness of his is your fault, big brother."

Don laughed a little then returned to seriousness, "I'll never stop being grateful that he's okay."

"It's days like these that make you realize what you've got," David's eyes sparkled with sincerity, "The kind that make you realize just how much you care about someone."

Don nodded but he had nothing more to say. He watched Charlie talk to the EMT and he met his brother's gaze. Charlie gave him a little smile and Don smiled back; it was curious that they would smile at a time like this, but both knew that they had become closer today.


End file.
